Smaller, in-home schools, or "pods," are gaining traction as an option for this school year. Here are some startups designed to help start one.Klaus Vedfelt/Getty Images
- The coronavirus pandemic has put teachers, students, and families in an unprecedented educational landscape — it may not be safe to go back to school but online learning looks like it may not be an effective alternative.
- With some schools offering plans to return to the classroom and other schools staying remote, many families are considering what the best option is for their children this fall.
- Emerging as a popular —and controversial — idea is the "pandemic pod" or "microschool," in which a small group of students would meet regularly with a private instructor. They can cost anywhere from $60,000 to $125,000 for the year.
- Former teachers, concerned parents, and innovators are stepping into the void with startups that provide education solutions.
- We've rounded up several new companies that are serving as pandemic pod resources, by helping connect families with teachers or with other like-minded families.
1. Bundle
Bundle is an employee-benefit service that aims to occupy kids with educational lessons while giving parents a chance to step away and work.
While the service has already proved useful during the pandemic — one of Bundle's instructors told The Wall Street Journal about teaching a 9-year-old to make a catapult out of Popsicle sticks, which kept him busy for at least 20 minutes — it's been expanding for this school season.
Bundle is planning to offer remote learning in a small group setting as an employee benefit so families can simulate microschools that are typically characterized as high-cost and inequitable.
Bundle is partnered with major brands such as the University of Pennsylvania and Airtable.
2. Outschool
Outschool is a learning marketplace that offers over 50,000 online classes from independent teachers across a number of topics and ages. The company was founded in 2015 and has previously been used to supplement homeschooling.
Outschool's CEO Amir Nathoo told CNBC that classes can range from $10 for one hour to "hundreds of dollars" for semester-long core courses that meet multiple times per week.
The company recently committed $2 million to making certain live online classes available for under-resourced communities.
3. Home Grown Unit
Home Grown Unit is an online platform that connects families with similar needs to certified teachers that lead virtual classes. It was started by a former Dallas Independent School District teacher.
The service offers Monday through Friday, either in the morning or afternoon, for less than $4 an hour. There are different payment plans, including $275 on a monthly basis or $1,299 for one semester.
4. SchoolHouse
SchoolHouse is a resource for starting a microschool in your home. Its main function is pairing your small group of children with available teachers, which takes the guesswork out of finding an educator.
The company provides tailored learning experiences for small groups of four to eight students by matching those students to certified teachers best suited to the students' needs.
The company says its microschools can take place around the dining room table, in a backyard, or wherever the group feels most comfortable.
A full five-day-per-week school year using SchoolHouse will cost roughly $18,840.
5. CareVillage
CareVillage's tagline is "it takes a CareVillage to raise a child."
Its original goal was to match families at the start of the pandemic to create some sort of pandemic bubble. The idea was to let parents share childcare responsibilities by coordinating safe play dates — something the founders were interested in for their own daughter.
Now, the platform has grown to consider other possibilities — linking families up who can share the cost of a nanny, or share the cost of bulk buying diapers, and yes, now sharing the cost of starting a microschool.
It's an option for families who want to join a school pod but don't necessarily want to coordinate in Facebook groups.
6. SitterStream
SitterStream is an online babysitting service that has a membership plan costing $19.99 per month.
It was started by a woman who wanted a "virtual babysitter" to hang out with her kids while she exercised for 45 minutes, she told CBS in May.
Now, that service will also include online tutors. Tutoring sessions last 30, 60, or 90 minutes and can be one-on-one or include up to four children. Prices range from $25 to $65, in addition to the monthly membership.
